Block removing device for concrete block machines



Feb. 9, 1937- 1.. GELBMAN ET AL 2,059,380,

BLOCK REMOVING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINES Filed Feb. 10, 1934 N m (O Rn nw v m M 6 ma w fi .N l A mm \UT mm Y B Patented Feb, 9 1937 Y. uNlTED sT-AT BLOCK REMOVING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINES Louis Gelbman and Nathan L. Gelbman, Yonkers, N. Y., assignors to Joltcrete Incorporated, Yonkers, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 10, 1934, Serial No. 710,620

15 Claims.

' This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a block removing device for a concrete block machine.

The invention may best be understood by first considering the present state of the art as actually practiced in concrete block manufacturing plants. The blocks are manufactured on machines in which it is necessary to first place pallets in the molds thereof, then tamp, vibrate, compress, or in any other manner engage the plastic materials into the molds with suflicient pack. so the blocks may subsequentlybe immediately stripped from the molds by stripping rods or other mechanism engaging beneath the pallets and lifting the blocks and pallets bodily above the molds. It has been customary to remove the blocks from the machines on their palv lets and store them in steam rooms, or in any other manner conclude the processing of the blocks.

The pallets are a large item of expense since one pallet is needed for each block and these pallets must be of durable material capable of withstanding shock since they are customarily thrown around when being handled and further-' more are subjected to stresses when in the molds during the manufacture of the blocks. In practice these pallets are steel stampings or forgings and approximately cost 25 a piece. Generally several thousand pallets are necessary with each machine to satisfactorily supply the capacity of the machine. This represents a large capital investment. After the blocks have been treated and hardened it is necessary that the steel pallets be taken off by smart blows upon the edges.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device adapted to-lift the block from the concrete block machine after it has been stripped from the mold and simultaneously to transfer the block upon some cheap supporting element such as a board, sheet metal, casting or the like. It is further proposed to immediately remove the pallet from the block after it is transferred upon the supporting element so that the same pallet can be used in-the inold of the block machine for the making of the next block. With this arrangement only a few expensive pallets are necessary for any one machine, the'blocks being transferred to cheaper supporting elements. Consequently the capital necessary for operating the block machine isgreatly reduced.

More particularly the invention proposes an arrangement whereby the block is lifted from the block machine and turned around on one side upon the supporting element.

Furthermore the invention also proposes arrangements whereby the block is not distorted during the operation explained in the previous paragraph. It should be borne in mind that when the block is stripped from the mold of a block machine it is very soft and easily deformed.

Still further the invention proposes the provisionof an angle member having arms at from each other and adaptedvto take off the block from the block machine and turn the block around on one side while simultaneously holding the 90 relation of the base of the block with the side so as not to deform the block.

Still further the invention proposes the provision of resilient means associated with the angle member in such a manner that the resilient element acts as a cushion to prevent sudden jar which would be liable to deform the block.

Still further the invention also proposes mechanism for automatically holding and releasing a supporting member upon the angle member in such a'manner that the block may be transferred to the supporting member and removed therefrom without extra operatiom,

This invention also has for an object to pivotally support an angle member upon a member supported to swing in horizontal so that the normally horizontal arm of the angle member may be engaged beneath the pallet of the block so that subsequently the angle member may be pivoted to 90 to transfer the bio upon a supporting element. f

Another one of the objects of this invention is an arrangement whereby the member mentioned in the previous paragraph may be adjusted at right angles to a radial line of the vertical axis of pivoting of said member so that the vertical arm of the angle member may be engaged fiat against the side of the block during the, taking off of the block so that there is no undue motion of the block during the taking of! operation.

Another object of this invention is to associate mechanism with' a block removing device which is adapted to automatically remove the pallet from the block after the block has been trans-' ferred upon the supporting element.

Still further an arrangement is proposed to move the supporting element slightly forwards so as to move away the pallet of the block from the other arm of the angle member and then thatthe block removing device be adjusted to' and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth. In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a block removing device constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of Fig. 1

looking from the right hand end.

Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2 butillustrating the device in position after the block has been removed,-and turned over.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view looking in the direction of the line 4--4of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken upon the line 5-5 oi' Figal. h

Fig. 6 is'a fragmentary sectional view taken upon the line 9-6 ofFig. l. Fig. 7 is a perspective view ofthe angle mem-' ber used in the device, illustrated per se.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken .on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1. I

. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the bushing il lustrated per se and used in the device.

The block:removing device according to this invention comprises a-member l0 supported to swing in the horizontal. More particularly this member l0 has a verticalbearing II at one of its ends rotative upon a vertical-post secured to the fioor it. A collar I4 is adjustably mounted upon the post l2 and adapted to be clamped in various adjustable positions by the screw I! so as to support the .member III to swingin the horizontal in various adjusted al- .titudes. With this arrangement it is possible to adjust the height of the member it so that it is suitable to operate for a particular block machine. Block machines very often are mounted upon bases and for thisreason it is necessary compensate such conditions and be capableof taking of! blocks irrespective of their location from the floor after the stripping operation. Of

course once the member III. has been adjusted to a particular machine it need not be varied in any manner unless the machine is altered'by a change of mold or such other alteration.

The concrete block machine has notb en illustrated on the drawing but in. dot and dash lines ii in Figs. 1 and 2 the position of a concrete" block stripped from .a' block machine is shown. The dot and dash lines I! inFig. 2 represent the stripping rods which are supporting the block |6.- Ifhis block I is shown resting upon thegpallet lathe-pallet beingshown indot and dash lines. Theobiect of the block removing device is to remove the block 19 with the pallet II which adheres toit fromthe stripping rods These stripping rods arein position extended from the mold of the block" machine so that. the block islocated above the mold and ready to be removed. After the removal of the block IS the bloek machineis ready for its operation to manufacture the next block.

The anglemember consisting of a horizontal arm l9 and a vertical 'arm 20' is pivotally' mounted upon the member I 0 and-limited to be properly set against the move through 90 to lift the block l9 from the supporting rods II. More particularly this angle member is adapted to moveto the position illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein the normally vertical arm 20 is now in the horizontal position while the normally horizontal arm I9 is now in the vertical position. The angle member 20 has a 'pairof lugs 2| projecting from the ends of the corner thereof and pivotally sup-,

ported by bolts 22 upon the lugs 22 on a bushing 24.rotative on the member "I. The arrangement is such that the bushing 24 may rotate through to 90 for the purpose of moving the angle member I9, 20 through the stated 90. Pins 29 project from the member l0 and engage into 90 arcuate slots 29 in the bushing 24 so as to limit turning, of the bushing through the 90. A means is provided for resiliently hold-.

toresiliently hold the angle member i9, 20 in a resilient fixed position relative to the bushing 24.

The block I9 is adapted to be transferred to a supporting element ll which may be a wooden board or other cheap supporting element. This supporting element II is normally placedagainst the arm 20 of the angle member and held in position by an automatic latch comprising ahook element 32 pivotally mounted upon the top of the arm 20 of the angle member, upon fingers 33, and formed with a weighted portion 34 adaptedto normally urge it into its operative position. A stop element is mounted upon the fingers 33 and limits pivoting of the book 92 so that it is always maintained. in a position adapted to engage and hold the supporting element ii.

In the operative position of the angle member I9, 20, more particularly inFig. 2 the hook 321s shown engaged and holding the upper edge of the supporting element 3i while the supporting element rests at its lower edge upon small pro- .iections 38 on the arm l9. When the bushing 24 is pivoted on the member l. to assume the position shown in Fig. 3 the latch automatically opens in that the hook 32 will move and rest against the stop 35. Consequently the supporting ele-' ment and theblock is ready to be lifted from the block removing device. The purpose of the small projections 39 is to hold the supporting element Ji in a position slightly raised from the arm l9 "so that the pallet II is free and easily removed element 3i does not touch the edge of the pallet l8 and consequently the pallet may be moved edgewise to cause its removal.

Variousprecautions arenecessary to prevent deforming of the block when removed. One of the precautions has been previously described and comprises the resilient mounting of the angle member i9, 20. A second'precaution is an arrangement whereby the angle member. 20 may side of the block before the block is removed. The arrangement comprises a construction whereby the member it maybe adjusted to properly place the angle member. More particularly the'member I9 is a 2. .8 0 composed of a front section I Ii and a rear section I0 These sections are adjustably connected to be adjusted on the horizontal. More particularly each 01 these sections have oflset adjacent .ends

connected with each other by a dove-tailed construction 38' or any other arrangement to joint these parts so that they maybe adjusted on the horizontal. Several bolts 39 engage through openings in one of the oiTset parts and through a slot 40 in the other of the offset parts so that With this arrangethe adjustment is possible. ment it is possible to adjust the section III so that the face of the arm 29 will accurately and.

flatly engage the side of the block IS. A more detailed explanation of the actualtaking oft of the block will be given further on in this specification.

The method forremovlng the pallet I8 from the block after it has been lifted from the support fingers 4| pivotally mounted intermediately onthe bolts 22, the front'ends of these fingers are normally disposed beneath the edge of the supporting element 3| when the latter is in the vertical position. The tail ends of these fingers 4| are in intimate contacts with the lower side of the member III and engageable .with small projections 42 upon the member I0 and located at a position to cause pivoting of the fingers when the supporting element 3| is in the horizontal position, see Fig. 3.

-An arrangement is also provided for freeing thepallet from the base of the block I6 when the block is removed from the concrete block machine to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. This means comprises a pair of bars 43 slidably mounted horizontally on the lugs 23 and provided at the'front ends-with pins 44 adapted to engage into openings in the pallet I9 from the bottom. The pallet I8 is provided with bosses 45 to increase its thickness at the points where the pins 44 engage through the openings so that the pins are in engagement with the material of the pallet even when the block is moved slightly away from the arm I9 of the angle member. The tail ends of the bars 43 have projecting pins 46 engaging in grooves 41 formed in discs 48 fixed upon the member Ill. These grooves 41 have their upper ends 41 converging inwards in a manner so as to cause the bars 43 to move inwards when the block I6 is removed from the block machine to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. Consequently the action is such that the pallet I8 will be drawn edgewise free of the block IS. A handle 50 extends from the bushing 24 at a slight angle from the vertical, approximately 30, see Fig. 2, so as to be conveniently held and moved downwards to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 to move the block from the block machine. Springs 3|) are mounted coaxially upon the screws 28 and are positioned between the arm 20 of the angle member and the fingers 21. These springs serve to hold the angle member with the arms thereof substantially in the horizontal and the vertical as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assume a block IE to be supported by the stripping rods'II immediately above the mold of a block machine. The details of the operation of the ma-- chine form no part of'this invention It is sufthe block slightly above the mold. The block I6 is resting upon the pallet I8 which in turn is resting upon the stripping rods I I. As illustrated in Fig; 1 the block removing device is shown with the lower arm I9 already engaged below the pallet I8. It is necessary that the sections III. and Ill of the member] II be properly adjusted so that the supporting element 3| has its i'ace'in face contact with the side of the block.

The handle 59 is then moved downwards through so as to rotate the bushing 24 correspondingly. As the bushing turns, stress will first be applied, to the springs 30 and then the angle member I9, 20 will lift and move the block.

It is pointed out that the lugs 2| of the angle ficient to explain that the block has been produced in the mold and then stripped from the mold by the stripping rods -I I which merely lifted member are pivotally mounted upon the lugs 23 and consequently the angle member will be moved around with the bushing 24.- As the angle memher moves from the position shown in Fig. 2 to trated in Fig. 3, the tail ends of the fingers 4| will strike the stationary projections 42 to slightly pivot the fingers so that the forward ends move the supporting element 3| slightly forwards to move the pallet I8 out of contact with the face of the arm I9 of the angle member. Coincident with this motion or perhaps slightly after, de-' pending inerely upon design, the bars 43 will move inwards to move the pallet I9 edgewise and shear it free from the block IS. The inward mo-' tionof the bars 43 isproduced by the fact that the bars are slidably supported on the lugs 23 and work between the lugs 23 and thestationary discs 48. Furthermore the pins 46 projecting from the bars 43 engage the grooves 41 which are concentric except at their ends 41" which ;cause the inward motion of the bars. y

When the angle member I9, 20 is moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, the automatic latch 32 automatically opens. so that the supporting element 3| with the block can be removed. Then the arm I0 is swung about the post I2 in the direction illustrated by the arrow 5| to a position indicated by the dot and dash line 52 and a new supporting element 3| is next placed upon the .arm 20 of the angle member and the angle member pivoted back through the 90 to its original position. The concrete block machine may now be operated to produce a block andwhen this block has been stripped then the mem-- ber I0 is swung back to its original position so that the arm I9 of the angle member engages beneath the pallet I8 of the block and the device is now ready to remove the second block.

While we have illustrated and described our invention with some degree of particularity, we realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made. We therefore-reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement ofthe correlated parts without departing from the spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new,-and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is: I

l. A block removing device for a concrete block machine, comprising a member supported to swing, and an angle member pivotally mounted on said member to pivot about said member as an axis and limited to move through substantially; 90, one, arm of said angle member being 1 adapted to engage beneath a block from said machine,whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is deposited upon the other arm of said angle member, and a suppo ting element on the latter mentioned arm of the angle member for receiving and holding said block.

2. A block removing device for a concrete block machine producing concrete blocks stripped therefrom and supported on pallets, comprising a member supported to swing in the horizontal,

and said angle member being adapted to have one of its arms engaged flat against the side of the block, and means for adjusting said member so that the vertical arm of said angle member may truly be flat against the side of said block.

3. A block removing device for a concrete block machine producing concrete blocks stripped therefrom and supported on pallets, comprising amember supported to swing in the horizontal,

- and an angle member pivotally mounted on said member and limited to move through 90, one arm of said angle member being adapted to engage beneath a block stripped from said machine,

' whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is deposited upon thev other arm of said angle member, said member being positioned sub-. stantially parallel with the side of the block, and said angle member being adapted to have one of its arms engaged flat against the side of the block, and means for adjusting said member so that the vertical arm of said angle member may truly. be flat against the side of said block, said adjustment comprising a'pair of sections composing said member and means for holding said sections in various relative positions.

4. A block removing device for a concrete block machine producing concrete blocks stripped therefrom and supported on pallets, comprising a member supported to swing in the horizontal, and an angle member pivotally mounted on said member and limited to move through 90, one arm of said angle member being adapted to engage beneath a block stripped from said machine, whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is deposited upon the other arm of said angle member, said member being positioned substantlally parallel with the side of the block, and said angle member being adapted to have one of its arms engaged fiat against the side of the block, and means for adjusting said member so that the vertical arm of said angle member may truly be fiat against the side of said block, said adjustment comprising a pair of sections com posing said memberand means for holding said sections in various relative positions in a direction at right angles to a radius of a vertical axisthrough the pivotal support of said member comprising oflset adjacent ends from the sections adjustably connected with each other.

5. A block removing device for a concrete block machine, comprising a member supported to swing, and an angle member pivotally mounted on said member and limited to move through substantially 90, one arm of said angle member .-s,o eo,aao

being adapted toensase said machine, whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is deposited upon the other arm of said anglemember, a supportingelement on the latter. mentioned arm .ofv the angle member for receiving and holding said'block, means for moving said supporting element forwardsafter the block has been transferred upon it for moving theblock with the pallet on its base from the other arm'of said angle member to allow re moval of the pallet, and means for movingthe pallet to free it from the base of the block. 1

on said member and limited toxmove through substantially 90, one arm of said angle member being adapted to engage beneath a block from said machine, whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is'deposited upon the other arm of said angle member; a; supporting element on the latter mentioned arm of the angle member for receiving andv holding said "block,

means for moving said supporting element forwards after the block transferredupon it for moving the block with the pallet on its base from the other arm ofsald angle member to allow removal of the pallet, and means for moving the pallet to free-it from the base of the block, said latter, mentioned meanamoving the pallet edgewise to shear it taken the-block,

7. v A block removing device for a concrete block machine producing a concrete block stripped therefrom and supported on pallets, comprising a member supported to swing in the horlsontal, and an angle member pivotally mounted on said member and limited to move through 90, one arm of said angle member being adapted to em gage beneath a block stripped from said ,machine, whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is depositedsupon the other arm" of said angle member, a supporting element on the latter mentioned arm of the angle member. for receiving and holding saidblock. and means for automatically freeing the, pallet from the block as the block is transferred upon said sup-,

block machine producing a concreteiblock,

stripped therefrom and supported on. pallets,

comprising a member supported to swing :in the horizontal, .and an angle member pivotally mounted on said member and limited to move through one arm of said angle member being adapted to engage beneath a block stripped from: said machine, whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is vdeposited upon'the other arm of said angle member, a supporting element] onthe latter mentioned arm of the angle mom,- ber for receiving and holding said-block, and an automatic latch for holding the supporting ol ment in one position ofthe angle member and releasing it in another position, g

9. A block removing device fora concrete block machine manufacturing blocks supported on pallets, a member supported tov swing in the horizontal, a bushing rotative onsaid member and limited to move through ;90, and an angle member mounted upon said bushing and having one arm adapted tovengage beneath said block and pallet and another arm for location along the side of said block, an element supported upon said latter mentioned arm for receiving and holding said block as 'the'angle member is moved through said 90. and adjustable means for adjusting the angle member so that the supporting element is in intimate contact throughout its front face with the side of said block.

10. A block removing device for a concrete block machine manufacturing blocks supported on pallets, a member supported to swing in the horizontal, a bushing rotative on said member and limited to move through and an angle member mounted upon said bushing and having one arm adapted to engage beneath said block and pallet and another arm for location along the side of said block, and an element supported upon said latter mentioned arm for receiving and holding said block as the angle member is moved through said 90, and resilient means associated with said bushing and angle member so that the angle member is moved with resiliency when said bushing is turned.

11. In a block removing device, a pivotally mounted angle member limited in its pivoting to substantially 90, one arm of said angle member being adapted to engage beneath a block, whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is deposited on the other arm of the angle member, resilient means associated with said angle member, and/means associated with said resilient means for moving the angle member with resiliency through said limit of pivoting when said resilient means is moved.

12. In a block removing device, a pivotally mounted angle member limited in its pivoting to substantially 90, one arm of said angle member being adapted to engage beneath a block, whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is deposited on the other arm of the angle member, resilient means associated with said an gle member, and means associated with said resilient means for moving the angle member with resiliency through said limit of pivoting when said resilient means is moved, said resilient means including a spring, and said means associated with the resilient means being connected with said spring to move the spring which in turn moves the angle member so that the angle member is indirectly moved.

13. In a block removing device for block machines producing blocks stripped therefrom and supported on pallets, a member swingingly and pivotally mounted to pivot about an axis radially of said swinging and limited to pivot through a substantially 90 angular distance and having one arm adapted to engage beneath a block stripped from the machine, whereby when the said member is pivoted the block is discharged on said arm.

14. In a block removing devicefor concrete block machines producing blocks stripped therefrom and supported on pallets, an angle member swingably and pivotally mounted and limited to pivot through 90", one arm of said angle member being adapted to engage beneath a block stripped from said machine, whereby when the angle member is pivoted the block is deposited upon the other arm of said angle member, a supporting element on the latter mentioned arm of the angle member for receiving and holding said block, and means for moving said supporting element forwards after the block has been transferred upon it for moving the block with the pallet on its base away from the other arm of said angle member to allow removal of the pallet.

15. In a block removing device for block machines producing blocks stripped therefrom and supported on pallets, a member supported to move in a pre-determincd path, an angle mem ber pivotally mounted on said member and limited in its pivoting to substantially 90, one arm of said angle member being adapted to engage beneath a block stripped from said machine,"

LOUIS GELBMAN. NATHAN L. GELBMAN. 

